Guardians Of The Galaxy’s Chris Pratt And Michael Rooker On Rocket Raccoon

By Rudie Obias | Updated

This article is more than 2 years old

Rocket!Now that Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy has wrapped production, the comic book movie is heading into post-production, with Vin Diesel already showing off what he can do as the treelike alien Groot. Part of post-production is getting the two CGI characters, Groot and Rocket Raccoon (Bradley Cooper), into the film.

From the very start, director James Gunn has talked about his love for Rocket Raccoon, explaining that the master tactician (who happens to be anthropomorphic raccoon) is the film’s emotional center. Getting a high-quality actor like Bradley Cooper was important for Marvel to really sell audiences on the CGI character. While celebrating the 100th episode of NBC’s Parks and Recreation, actor Chris Pratt recently talked to Access Hollywood about Rocket Raccoon and how he’s going to “steal the show” when the film is released next August. Pratt said:

‘[Rocket Raccoon has been] tortured his whole life and no one else likes him, so he’s lonely and he’s angry and it’s like, [there are] all these elements [to the character],’ he continued. ‘You sort of forget about that, you wouldn’t think about, [and] hopefully will come to life. I think it will and that’s why they hired a really good actor to do the role. I could not be more excited that Bradley Cooper is voicing Rocket Raccoon, it’s a great character. It’s probably the best character in the movie, just because it’s not what you would expect.

Will Rocket Raccoon get the intended reaction from audiences after all this talk about him being the best character in the movie? There’s always been something about Rocket Raccoon that has gotten comic book readers buzzing. Even when he’s appeared in animation and video game form, Rocket is the center of attention. Another Guardians of the Galaxy co-star, Michael Rooker, also talked to SciFiNow about Rocket, just after the film wrapped production. Rooker said:

Rocket and I don’t get along, he’s a bit abrupt and brash for my taste. I probably have a little Merle (The Walking Dead) in me still, because I would roast him over an open flame and eat him for supper!

During San Diego Comic-Con last July, Marvel screened a sizzle reel of Guardians of the Galaxy during their panel in Hall H. The crowd went crazy when they saw a very brief moment of Rocket Raccoon firing off rounds of ammo with a machine gun. If James Gunn could tap into that kind of excitement for a short moment in a sizzle reel, just think of what he could do with the character throughout the whole movie.

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Rocket Raccoon is the lovable, violent, anthropomorphic raccoon alien who is an expert marksman and a master tactician among the Guardians of the Galaxy team. Rocket also acts as one of the Guardian of the Keystone Quadrant, the area of outer space sealed off from the rest of the galaxy by the Galacian Wall. He has the ability of super speed and acute senses. He is also an accomplished starship pilot and second-in-command when Star-Lord (Chris Pratt) isn’t around.

Guardians of the Galaxy features Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Benicio del Toro, Lee Pace, Karen Gillan, Djimon Hounsou, Michael Rooker, Olivia Lovibond, John C. Reilly, and Glenn Close as Nova Prime.

Guardians of the Galaxy will hit theaters everywhere on August 1, 2014.